Communications and Media - Sophomore

Course # HUSS 2051

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: NA

Course Description

This course is an introduction to philosophy. It aims at providing students with the basic knowledge of philosophical theories, categories, and topics. We explore major philosophical discussions in the contemporary world ranging from epistemology to aesthetics. The course does not presume to dictate any philosophical doctrine, its purpose is to help students develop skills of reasoning, responsible decision making, and to reflect on things non-pragmatic.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• use philosophical categories accurately in discussing philosophical topics;
• untangle (latent) premises upon which (their own or others’) philosophical statements are made;
• identify inconsistencies and potential errors that require attention and investigation;
• take a systematic approach, to ensure that issues are viewed in a “bigger picture” and essentials are not overlooked;
• defend a stance in a debate reasonably (using relevant facts, knowledge of theories, coherent arguments);
• discuss philosophical issues responsibly (amicably and cooperatively).
• Course Assessments and Grading

Course # MDIA 2071

Credits 6

Course Description

The Course introduces students to the contemporary art and media practices of Central Asia, exploring the current contemporary critical issues such as decolonization, the Anthropocene, body, time, space, emancipatory practices, indigenous practices, and resilience through art. This course also offers students the opportunity to engage with professionals in contemporary arts and the media landscape in the region and from across the globe, gaining nuanced learning and inspiration from diverse media practices for their own work. The course also cultivates essential analytical and critical thinking skills, strengthening students’ ability to critically analyse and contribute to the evolving art and media scene in Central Asia. informed critique and practice captures the core of the course and students are invited to apply their own vision and understanding in developing their projects.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• demonstrate an up-to-date introduction to modern art and media discourses.
• analyse Contemporary Context and critically evaluate the contemporary, historical, cultural, environmental and political factors influencing contemporary art and media practices in Central Asia.
• integrate multiple media forms, including visual, audio, and digital elements, in creative works and be introduced to professional networks.
• participate in discourses about global and regional art and media practices in Central Asia.
• generate original project ideas that engage with themes and skill sets relevant to Central Asian and international culture and society.

Course # MDIA 2110

Credits 6

Course Description

This course teaches students two parallel sets of skills. On one hand, it teaches students about the history of journalism in a global and Central Asian context, how it has developed, and what news values journalists consider given national and cultural differences across the globe. This course also gives students the chance to put into practice those journalistic skills and produce a number of different types of multimedia articles. This combination will help students understand how journalism can contribute to progress in society. As part of this course students will contribute to UCA’s student-run media, including yellowspace.art.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain the historical and contemporary roles played by traditional and new media.
• Publish brief original stories, in different formats and genres.
• Practice the skills necessary to develop the story from idea to finished article.
• Discuss the challenges and opportunities for communication and media professionals in society, especially in the Central Asian context.
• Examine the relationships between audiences, journalists and other intermediaries.
• Explain the role of media and regulation in creating local narratives

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # ECON 1001

Credits 6

Course Description

Introduction to Microeconomics deals with the interactions between individual households and business firms. The concepts of supply and demand are analyzed: what they mean, how they operate, and how prices of goods and services and factor markets are determined. Elas-ticity, consumer choices, and market structures (including market failure) are also consid-ered. The cost structure of firms is also analyzed.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Define basic microeconomic concepts.
• Explain how markets optimally allocate scarce resources faced with unlimited wants.
• Describe models of goods’ markets with competitive, oligopolistic and monopolistic setups.
• Determine models to solve microeconomic problems as well as assess the power and limitations of these models.
• Relate the "language" of formal mathematical models and the "language" of graphs, to the microeconomic concepts under review.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # HUSS 1003

Credits 4

Course Description

This course explores the history and creation of states and societies in Central Asia with the focus on the history of Kyrgyzstan. It investigates the influence of geography on history, including the interplay between oasis trading corridors and steppe pastoralist mode of life, as well as the role of forests and mountains as redoubts for groups that lost political battles in the central steppe. The course aims to develop competencies and skills which enable students to use critical thinking while analyzing sources of historical events including a comparative study of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. Students learn how to critically examine historical sources, engage in discussions, exchange ideas and presents their topics by reading primary historical texts and secondary papers. Through the examination of the history of Kyrgyzstan, the course also considers the issue of interplay between oasis and steppes, between settled and nomadic way of life addressing how belief, religion, social practices and customary way of life are changed and accommodated to the needs of social and political context. In the course, students learn to explore ideas, generate knowledge, provide alternate responses and exclude opting for one immediate and absolute response.   

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Discuss the key features, facts and frameworks that make up the history of Central Asia in general and Kyrgyzstan in particular;
• Provide broad historical narratives related to development and formation of Kyrgyz nation and society;
• Interpret and analyse history of Kyrgyzstan as part of the broader social and political process of Central Asia;
• Analyse primary and secondary sources to assess received narratives about the past.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # HUSS 1004

Credits 2

TBA

Course # MDIA 2113E

Credits 3

Course Description

Creative Writing involves the development of intellectual, imaginative and skills of embodied self-expression. It also involves reading. In this craft-base course, students engage in a series of lectures and workshops, learning a range of creative writing skills in a variety of genres, methods and approaches and, in turn, are encouraged to be experimental and adventurous in their writing. Seminars address different creative writing topics and readings so that students can learn about various approaches from poetry to film dialogue-writing. The workshops are interactive; they aim to increase understanding of the process of creative writing and, most importantly, the process of script development, editing and presentation. All creative work in its original form can be written in a language of the student’s choosing but must be translated into English for assignment submission.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Identify and write in a range of genres including original fiction, non-fiction and poetry using literary techniques.
• Identify and demonstrate - in literature and in their own work - classic language forms and features, and elements of plot development, characters, landscape and setting, and achieve creative writing and reading skills in relation to concepts, topics, craft, technique and voice.
• Understand and demonstrate the creative processes of revision and editing.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # COMP 2012E

Credits 2

Course Description

The course focuses on creating computer animation using Blender. The first 7 weeks of lectures and tutorials will cover geometric modelling, motion animation, shading, texturing, and lighting with the Blender computer animation package.

Students will work on their final animation projects in the last 7 weeks, but there may be one or two tutorials on reflection of the environment in shiny or glossy surfaces, and multiple bounce illumination.

There will be a final animation team project, to demonstrate skills with Blender in a creative setting, due for presentation in class during the last class week of the semester.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Use surface-based geometric modelling tools for computer aided design.
• Build a character with a skin and skeleton, using Blender.
• Create an animation of a scene that changes in time, with lighting and camera motion.

Course Assessments and Grading

Physical training

Course # HUSS 1080

Credits 0

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites: None

Course description

The purpose of physical education is to strengthen health, develop the physical and mental abilities of students. Physical exercises and sports games is the way to a powerful and functional body, clear mind and strong spirit. The course is both practical and theoretical, it covers basic concepts of anatomy and physiology as well as health and safety requirements.  

Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

• perform a range of physical activities
• understand health and safety requirements for a range of physical activities
• describe the role and progress of sport in Central Asia
• chose an appropriate physical activities program for their age and gender
• identify tiredness and its symptoms to control the body during athletic exercises
• describe the technique of running for a long and a short distance and jumping
• accomplish running for a short and a long distance and jumping according to all necessary norms
• describe the rules of a range of sports games
• participate in a range of sports games according to their rules and techniques

Course Assessments and Grading

* The course will be graded with PASS/FAIL.